‘You aren’t broken, you are you’ – Emmerdale’s Bradley Riches on being autistic in the public eye

It’s not often you see someone step into the spotlight and remain entirely, unapologetically themselves. But for Bradley Riches, there has never been any other way.

Audiences were first introduced to Bradley in the Netflix hit Heartstopper, where his portrayal of James McEwan struck a chord with viewers. He was quickly made a fan favourite, opening the door to a whirlwind rise that soon saw him enter the Big Brother house alongside the likes of Sharon Osbourne, a friendship he still treasures today.

Then came the Yorkshire Dales. Last year, Bradley joined Emmerdale as Lewis Barton, stepping into one of the UK’s most beloved soaps as their first neurodivergent character.

With his new book, Autistically Me: How to understand and celebrate our autistic minds, Bradley is using his growing platform to champion neurodivergent voices. Described by the actor as a “celebratory toolkit for unique minds,” the book blends lived experience with practical advice, offering guidance for anyone navigating autism, at any stage of their journey.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Bradley reflects candidly on diagnosis, identity and life in the public eye. Yet throughout everything, one message remains: “You aren’t broken, you are you”.

The book explores everything from seeking a diagnosis and understanding how autism presents itself, to building healthy relationships, setting boundaries and learning how to thrive.

For Bradley, he added: “The best way to describe it, is it’s for all people who have ever felt different. The book will be so beneficial to everyone in different stages of their journey. If that’s parents, teachers helping their loves ones, or it’s the person who is going for the diagnosis. I think they will learn something from this book”.

Diagnosed at the age of nine, Bradley did not speak more than a few words until he was 10 years old. Reflecting on that moment, he said: “It wasn’t like a label, I see it more as a direction to go in. It answered questions we could never really fit together before, and suddenly it was like, ‘Oh, here’s what we’ve been missing.'”

“After diagnosis, you’re still the same person you were before. Just because someone ticks boxes and says you meet certain criteria, it doesn’t change who you are.”

As an autistic actor, Bradley’s role in Emmerdale allows him to represent his own community. His character, Lewis Barton, is neurodivergent, with storylines that reflect the everyday realities of autism. Bradley has opened up a lot on his social media about the importance of seeing yourself on-screen and how having that responsibility means the world.

It’s the kind of representation Bradley himself rarely saw growing up. He said: “Seeing someone say the word ‘autism’ on screen would have been transformative for me growing up. I didn’t feel represented until I was about 18 or 19.

“It makes people feel less alone, like, ‘Oh, what I’m going through, other people go through too’.”

Life in the spotlight can be daunting for anyone, and Bradley admits he “definitely” faces barriers when it comes to red carpets, interviews and public appearances.

He candidly shared: “For example, if a big awards were happening tonight and it was a ‘oh can you come to this?’, I wouldn’t be able to. But I know a ‘typical’ person would see it as a great opportunity, and to network in that way.

“But, I need at least maybe a couple of months to process before an event. It definitely impacts me that way, because I want to know who’s going, who I’ll be sitting with – all of these different things.”

Bradley added: “I do feel I say no to things which could have been positive for me, but at events they are overwhelming for me. On carpets, I get my anxiety rash – she comes out, she’s present!”

Addressing social cues, particularly in high-pressure environments, he continued: “I don’t really enjoy talking for the sake of talking, if I’m not really involved in a conversation I get a bit agitated, I just want to run away and hide in the toilet for a bit. But, as a society you have to be engaged, and be polite. I’ve never really been taught that, I feel like I’ve lost the handbook!”

Touching on the positives, he said: “If I go with my people, the right people, then I feel like I can flourish in those environments.”

Last year, he was crowned Best Newcomer at the Soap Award, though he admits he didn’t see it coming, joking he may have “used all my luck” on a scratch card earlier that day.

Reflecting on the moment, he said: “It was a really nice feeling, because people are accepting him, and they’re liking him,” before praising his Emmerdale co-stars for their continued support behind the scenes.

He remarked: “It’s such a family, I’m very grateful. Mike (Parr), Nicola (Wheeler), Brad (Johnson), Shebz (Miah), they just get me so much. Especially with Mike and Nicola, I could just look at them and they’re like ‘we get you’, and then I just have a moment and come back.”

Bradley recalled how supportive Netflix were when they were informed he was autistic, as he continued: “If a big corporation like Netflix can care, then a little coffee shop down the road, or anywhere else should be doing the most they can too.”

Through everything, Bradley is keen to share one message with his readers. He said: “You aren’t broken, you are you and that’s amazing. You are you, now let’s go and thrive in this world.”